Pipe smoker&#39;s tobacco package



I United States Patent 1111 3,545,449

[72] Inventor James G. Pecor 3,292,634 12/1966 Beucler 131/3 8832 Anthony, Garden Grove, California 2,804,874 9/1957 Visnick 131/3UX 2 1 I N gig? FOREIGN PATENTS l 1 1 691,735 8/1964 Canada 131/3 [22] Filed April 18, 1969 5] Patented Dec. 1970 3,439 1904 Great Britain 131/220 Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren Assistant Examiner-James l-l. Czerwonky Attorney-Nienow & Frater [54] PIPE SMOKERS TOBACCO PACKAGE 1 claim 7 Drawing Figs. ABSTRACT: A package of pipe smokers tobacco including a [52] U.S.Cl. 131/3, container and a charge of tobacco of size and Shape to fit 131/183 within the bowl recess. The container is structured from a flat [51] 1nt.Cl. A24d 01/14, sheet of metal foil and has generally cylindrical gathered A24f01/26; A24f09/16 sides, formed without ironing, including an outwardly extend- [50] Field of Search 131/3, 183, ing crushable flange at the upper end f the comainer The 230 container also has a removable or combustible cover which overlies the u er end of the container and its flan e. The [56] References Cited structure of th zontainer is such as to permit air flow t hrough UNITED STATES PATENTS the tobacco charge while impeding air flow around it, to hold 712,851 11/1902 Rice 131/3X the tobacco charge away from the pipe bowl bottom and, by 2,937,648 5/1960 Meyer.. 131/3 use of the crushable flange, to facilitate disposal of the tobac- 2,991,788 7/1961 Brost 131/3 co ash.

PATENTEU 052 81970 3.545449 INVENTOR.

flrraexvsrs PIPE SMOKERS T OBACCO PACKAGE This invention relates to improvements in packages for tobacco intended for use in smokers pipes.

An object of the invention is to provide a container for smokers pipe tobacco in which one pipeful of tobacco may be contained and which is inserted with its contents into the pipe there to remain while the tobacco is smoked and which then serves as a container for the ash whereby removal of the ashes, and their disposal, is facilitated. A related object is to provide a package of one pipeful of pipe smokers tobacco comprising a container and its tobacco contents.

Conventional pipe tobacco containers and pouches are arranged so that two hands, or at least a substantial degree of concentration, are required to fill the pipe bowl with tobacco. Filling the bowl has required a certain amount of skill to insure that the load or charge of tobacco was sufficiently well packed to insure that the tobacco'would burn completely but not so tightly packed as to require excessive inhalation suction at the pipe stem. Moreover, to preclude sealing off the smoke passageway leading from the bottom of the bowl through the stem of the pipe, it has been necessary that the tobacco at the bottom of the pipe bowl be packed less tightly than the degree desirable to insure complete burning of that lower end of the quantity of pipe tobacco in the bowl. That lower end is called the heel" of the tobacco charge when it becomes wet and one of the difficulties in pipe smoking is that saliva from the users mouth finds its way to the lower end of the charge to form that heel.

An object of the invention is to provide a means for simplifying loading a pipe and indeed to make it so simple that it can be filled with one hand such, for example, as to enable loading a pipe while driving without need for the driver to divert his attention from the task of driving. Another object is to provide a package for pipe tobacco which is inserted with the tobacco into the pipe there to remain to protect the tobacco from saliva which might collect at the bottom of the bowl. Another object is to provide a container for pipe tobacco in which the pipe tobacco can. be prepackaged with optimum degree of compaction to insure uniform burning of the tobacco load. In this connection it is an object of the invention to provide a package which will facilitate burning of the tobacco contained within it. Other objects are to provide a package for tobacco which has a form that facilitates disposing of the ash remaining when the smoker has finished with the pipeful of tobacco not only to insure that the ash will not be scattered but also to insure that any tobacco which has not been consumed, or is still ignited, is safely disposed of.

Certain of these and other objects and advantages of the invention which will hereinafter appear are realized, at least in part, by the provision of a package for smokers pipe tobacco which comprises a container having a sidewall and a bottom wall and having a size to fit within the bowl of a smokers pipe and which further is distinguished by having openings formed in the region of its lower end, and by providing such a container which is filled with smokers tobacco.

' In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a smokers pipe in the bowl of which is disposed a tobacco package embodying the inven' tion;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 of a fragment of a smokers pipe, except that a part of the tobacco container is shown in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view of side elevation of a package of pipe tobacco similar to the package shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the package of F IG.3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the package of P16. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the package of FIG. 3, except that the cover has been removed; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a package embodying theinvention, the cover of which has alternative form.

Smokers pipes are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and the invention is applicable to most if not all of them. Notwithstanding the wide variety, a large majority of pipes have a common tobacco bowl opening size. Most pipes have a bowl opening which is the same diameter and the same depth as the bowl opening of other pipes. This circumstance adds greatly to the universality of the product provided by the invention although the invention does not depend upon it because products embodying the invention may be made in a variety of SlZS.

The most common shape for smokers pipes has been selected for illustration in FIG. 1. The pipe, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, comprises a bowl portion 12, a stem 14, a part 16 of which is integral with the bowl and a part 18 of which is not. Part 18 is often called the shank of the pipe and its outer end 20 is called the bit. The bowl portion 12. is provided with a recess in which tobacco is accommodated. A passageway extending through the stem of the pipe communicates with the bottom of the recess in the bowl at one end and opens to the exterior of the bit 20 at its other end. A portion of that passageway is visible in FIG. 2 where it is designated by the reference numeral 22.

Returning to the FIG. 1, the pipe 10 there shown has been fitted with a 1 ackage of tobacco provided by the invention and the cover of that package having been removed or burned away, a body of tobacco 24 is visible looking down into the package. Only the flange portion 26 of the package is visible in FIG. 1. Initially, that package of pipe tobacco was fitted with a cover made of a flammable material which served to protect and contain the tobacco within the package and which was burned away when the tobacco was ignited, as it is shown to be in FIG. 1, by the application of a flame to burn the covering and to ignite the tobacco load.

Advantageously thepackage comprises a container having a sidewall and a bottom wall connected to the sidewall and disposed at one end of the sidewall. The bowl opening or recess of almost every pipe is symmetrical about a central axis. The opening tapers only slightly toward its lower end and at the bottom of the opening the recess is rounded almost to hemispherical shape. In general, then, packages embodying the invention may be almost cylindrical, being only slightly conical, and the bottom edge is rounded to project down toward the bottom of the pipe bowl opening. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 employ this construction. Referring to FIG. 3, the sidewall 28 of the package 30 there shown is symmetrical about a vertical center axis through the package. The sidewalls are almost cylindrical but taper slightly to a smaller diameter at their lower end. The lower end of the package is. closed by a rounded end wall 32 which in this embodiment approaches, but is shallower than, a sphere. The container portion of the package contains a body or load 34 of .packed, cut or shredded, tobacco leaves. The package is entirely filled with the tobacco load from its lowermost point adjacent the bottom wall of the package to the level of the upper margin of the package. The container of the invention together with that tobacco load comprise the package of the invention.

The package is placed in the bowl opening so that the container remains around the tobacco as the latter is burned and the pipe is smoked. The tobacco is ignited and air drawn through it by inhalation suction at the bit so that air and smoke are drawn through the pipe. Some means must be provided for permitting the flow of air down through the body of tobacco and out at the lower end of the container. The lower end of the container is provided with an opening, advantageously a number of openings, by which smoke and air permitted to flow through the container. Advantageously, these openings are sufficiently small so that the tobacco shreds are retained within the container. A plurality of openings insures an adequate flow area while adequately retaining the tobacco shreds before use and the tobacco ashes after the load has been burned. Moreover, the provision of a plurality of holes insures that there will be an adequate flow path even when some of the holes are blocked as a result of compaction of the tobacco load. The several openings at the bottom of the container are identified by the reference numeral 36. The smoke and air leaving the openings 36 must find its way to the passageway 22. In the preferred form of the invention, means are provided by which the lower end of the container is spaced from the lower end 38 of the pipe bowl recess to insure that the lower wall of the bowl recess does not block the passageway for the smoke and air. Such spacing makes it more difficult for moisture at the bottom of the bowl recess to reach the tobacco in the lower portion of the container to minimize formation of a heel. This means could comprise a spacer at the bottom of the container.- Advantageously, however, this means comprises a portion of the wall of the container which has a shape relative to the pipe bowl, in which the tobacco package is going to be inserted, such that the degree of insertion of the package into the pipe bowl recess tends to be limited. This can be accomplished by controlling the outer diameter of the package so that it fits snugly against the sidewalls of the bowl opening so that the package does not bottom against the bottom of the pipe bowl opening under the application of ordinary insertion force. In the embodiment selected for illustration the means for limiting the degree of insertion of the tobacco package comprises a flange which extends outwardly from the upper margins of the container and overlies the upper rim of the pipe bowl opening. This form is advantageous because the flange facilitates grasping the container to remove it from the pipe bowl opening. In addition, the material of the flange may be crushed inwardly to close the upper end of the container and seal the tobacco ash and any 'burning tobacco within the container. These functions are betterserved if the flange is rather wide and in this embodiment it is shown 'to extend to the edges of the upper face of the pipe bowl. The flange is designated by the reference numeral 40 and may be integrally formed with the remainder of the container as shown.

Means are provided in the invention for insuring that a minimum of air is permitted to bypass the package whereby all or most of the air that passes through the pipe as an incident to inhalation suction passes through the tobacco charge. This means may comprise a portion of the wall of the container which is provided with a shape and size such that it entirely fills the cross-sectional area of the pipe bowl recess. Thus, the tobacco package may be made sufficiently large in diameter so that it fits snugly within the pipe bowl opening. Advantageously, however, this .air flow control means comprises a section of the outerwall of the container which fits across and closes the pipe bowl opening at its upper end. In this embodiment that means comprises the flange 40. Thus, the flange serves several purposes. It tends to confine air flow through the pipe to flow through the tobacco charge, it serves to keep the tobacco package from bottoming against the bottom of the pipe bowl opening, it holds the tobacco charge away from saliva that may collect in bottomof the bowl, and the flange serves also to facilitate removal of the charge after it has been smoked and to facilitate disposal of the ash and any unburned or still burning tobacco.

Certain of the advantages of the invention are realized independently of whether or not the package is itself combustible. Thus the convenience of having a preformed pipe load, the advantage of control of tobacco load compaction, and other advantages will be realized in the invention even if the package itself is consumed when the tobacco burns. Certain others of the advantages and objects of the invention are realized only if the package remains after the tobacco has been burned. Thus, the ease of removal of the charge and the ability to dispose of the ash in the container and certain other advantages are realized only if the container is not consumed in the burning process. A larger number of these advantages are realized in a noncombustible package and the preferred embodiment employs a package made of metal foil. Foil is easily worked and it aids in preserving the tobacco fresh when the package is provided with a cover. In preferred form the package is formed of a flat sheet of foil material so that its sides are gathered together as the package shape is formed. If the foil material which is gathered ttzgether at the sidewalls of the finished package is not none or pressed too hard in manufacture of the package but if instead the gathered material is relatively loose prior to insertion in the pipe bowl opening, then a package that might otherwise fit loosely in an oversize bowl recess opening will be inserted without much ironing or pressing of its gathered material and it will fit snugly within the bowl opening.

Applicant has found that a package made with a reflective material, such as foil, result in more uniform burning of the tobacco which it contains. Many pipe smokers experience difficulty in keeping the tobacco charge lit. The tobacco persists in ceasing to burn necessitating relighting of the charge. It has been found that this tendency is minimized and that the tobacco tends to burn completely to a white ash when the charge is contained within a container of reflective material. It seems likely that the container serves to reflect heat back into the tobacco charge to maintain a hotter fire and to prevent excessive cooling by the air that is drawn into the pipe as an incident to inhalation suction.

In preferred form the package is provided with a cover of a kind which can aid in sealing in moisture. Cover 42, which is visible in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the pull tab 44 of which is visible in FIG. 5, is made of metal foil and is removed before the charge is lit. The underface of the cover is shown in FIG. 4 and it is provided with an adhesive material 46 around its margin by which it is secured to the flange 40 lightly enough to be easily removed when the cover is torn off by its tab 44. The metallic foil cover has the advantage that it appears to provide, and does provide protection against drying out of the tobacco charge. For complete protection the openings 36 at the lower end of the package should be sealed. However, these holes being quite small there is very little drying of the tobacco at the lower end of the charge. Moreover, some drying here is desirable because of the proximity of that tobacco at the lower end of the package to the moisture at the bottom of the pipe bowl.

The cover 48 depicted in FIG. 7 is made of a combustible material. In this embodiment it is made of paper in the form of a disc which is attached by an adhesive to the flange of the container. The paper burns away to expose the tobacco in the procedure during which the tobacco is lighted whereby there is no cover left to dispose of.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I. am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted, except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a package for smokers pipe tobacco:

a container having a sidewall and a bottom wall integral with one end of said sidewall and having a size to fit within the bowl of a smokers pipe;

an outwardly extending, crushable flange formed integrally with said sidewall at its upper end;

said bottom wall comprising a rounded end which is provided with a plurality of through openings all of which are spaced from the lowermost portion of said rounded end;

said container being formed of a metal foil material having a reflective surface;

the sidewalls of the container defining a generally cylindrical shape and the foil material being gathered, in the manner of a flat sheet having been formed into cylindrical form, without ironing; and

said container being filled with compacted tobacco and in which said container further comprises a cover overlying the upper end of the container and its flange. 

